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Wednesday, April 11, 2007

CTA Red Line Extension

This has been in the news a lot. I've even had literature at home about an extension of the Red Line from Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. It's looks like a great idea and I can only wonder what the impact of an extension would bring. For starters I can't see 95th Street being as busy as it is now. Though who knows that may never change.

Look at the graphic provided by the Tribune on the left. You're seeing the various possibilities but in red you see the ones that are preffered. This Tribune article talks about it more....

Nine different corridors to extend the Red Line to 130th Street are still under consideration, CTA officials and consultants told an audience of about 75 people who attended a meeting Tuesday night at Chicago State University to hear a review of the alternatives-analysis study and offer their feedback.

But the CTA recommended narrowing the nine options to three routes for further study: *Jogging the tracks west to near Halsted Street and south along Halsted, crossing the Blue Island branch of the Metra Electric before reaching 130th Street.

* Using the existing Union Pacific Railroad right of way that runs south between Halsted and Michigan Avenue until about 112th Street, then bends southeast, crossing the Metra Electric main line tracks and terminating near the South Shore Line and the Bishop Ford Freeway (Interstate Highway 94).

* Extending the Red Line alongside South Michigan Avenue.

The six other corridors that were looked at include using rights of way along Interstate Highway 57 or the Bishop Ford; or extending the Red Line tracks alongside either Wentworth Avenue, State Street, King Drive or Cottage Grove Avenue/Metra Electric.

At the meeting Tuesday, Ald. Freddrenna Lyle (6th), whose ward includes the 95th Street station, said that having a reliable and environmentally friendly train service was paramount.

"We want to make sure it works for the community it serves," she said.

A neighborhood group that has advocated for the extension of the Red Line favors the Union Pacific corridor route because it runs through the center of the Roseland community and would provide the highest ridership, said Lou Turner, a consultant for Developing Communities Project.

"On the Far South Side, one in four households does not have a car," Turner said. "This area is heavily transportation-disadvantaged."

No recommendations were made regarding whether the extension would be at street level, on elevated tracks, in a trench or underground, officials said.

In addition, the transit agency suggested using either traditional CTA heavy-rail cars for the project or a bus rapid-transit system, which would offer faster travel and fewer stops than regular bus service.

Sounds good and a subway through the Roseland neighborhood well that would be interesting. As you saw in the article the statistic about people not having a car on the far south side of Chicago. This would be great for them, but who knows this will allow for easier access to that part of town for those who are not from Roseland.

Oh yeah it was mentioned that there will be another meeting with regards to the CTA Red Line extension here's more info from the Tribune...

A second public meeting on the Red Line extension project will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the West Pullman Chicago Public Library, 830 W. 119th St.